For the time being a least, a group of Flyers players are renting morning ice time at the SkateZone in Voorhees. Ten players worked out on the ice yesterday, according to the Camden Courier Post's Randy Miller. Former Flyers forward and current Trenton Titans assistant coach Todd Fedoruk is leading the sessions.

Scenes such as these have become common early in lockouts. Flyers players did the same at the start of the 1994 lockout and the eventually canceled 2004-05 season.

Phantoms training camp opens next Friday, Sept. 28, at the SkateZone. Reassigned Flyers players Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn, Erik Gustafsson, Zac Rinaldo and Eric Wellwood will, of course, be there.

Danny Briere has not yet decided if he will play in Europe during the lockout. He is expected to make a decision by the end of the week. He played for SC Bern during the 2004-05 season.

Former HockeyBuzz writer Andy Strickland reported that a group of French-Canadian NHL players -- including both Briere and Claude Giroux -- are discussing the possibility of forming two teams to play one game in Quebec per week, possibly with all proceeds going to charitable causes. If the lockout continues, I, for one, would like to see the players do something like that. However, there have been similar proposals in past lockouts that didn't come to fruition for a variety of reasons; insurance being at or near the top of the list.

The biggest reason why Jakub Voracek opted to sign with HC Lev Prague rather than his hometown HC Rytiri Kladno is that the Czech Extraliga team lacks the budget to cover most or all of the insurance policy costs for multiple NHL players. The KHL team could absorb the cost more readily. Voracek could be in the lineup on Thursday, when Lev takes on Avangard Omsk. Through six games, Lev is in first place in the KHL's Western Conference.

Giroux reportedly (and not surprisingly) is being flooded with offers from teams in Europe, including multiple KHL and Swiss National League clubs. However, the Flyers' top center plans to stay put for the time being. He will evaluate European options -- for a player of his stature, teams will make room against the import and NHL lockout signing limits.


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